Friction shock absorbing mechanism for railway car trucks



Dec. 20, 1955 E. G. FORSSELL FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS Filed NOV. 21, 1952 fnvenforz lTr i u (I; .1 0 rsse l2.

E. G. FORSSELL 2,727,472 FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 20, 1955 Filed Nov. 21, 1952 Dec. 2@, 1955 E. s. FORSSELL FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS Filed NOV. 21, 1952 nveryi o 2": "gs Q'Jfiws seZZ.

5 Liz w United States Patent O FRICTION SHOCK OR LW Y R RU S Eric G. Forssell, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application November 21, 1952, Serial No. 321,871

11 Claims. (Cl. 105-197) This invention relates to improvements in railway car trucks, more Particularly to means for frictionally retarding up and, down movement of the truck bolster in the truck side frames.

One object of the invention is to provide in a railway car truck, means for efiectively snubbing the action of the usual truck springs by frictionally opposing up and down movement of the truck bolster of the car.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a rail- Way car truck, means for frictionally resisting vertical movement of the truck bolster, including friction members carried by the truck bolster and slidingly engaging the friction surfaces on the truck side frame, wherein said friction members are yieldingly urged against the friction surfaces by spring means.

A more specific object of the invention is to utilize, in a mechanism as set forth in the preceding paragraph, certain of the springs which support the truck bolster for urging the friction means against the friction surfaces of the truck side frame.

Other objects of the invinetion will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a broken side elevational view of the side frame and truck bolster of a railway car, illustrating my improvements in connection therewith.

Figure 2 is a broken top plan view of the end portion of the truck bolster shown in Figure 1, the top wall of the bolster being broken away to more clearly show the parts contained within the bolster.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, partly broken away, of the side frame member of the truck bolster shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 5-5 of Figure 4, illustrating the truck side frame in dotted lines.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of Figure 2', looking from left to right in said figure.

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional view, corresponding to Figure 3 of the bolster only, the parts therewithin being removed.

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of one of the friction shoes of my improved mechanism.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of Figure 9.

In said drawings, 10 indicates one of the side frame members of a railway car truck. The side frame member 10 is in the form of a casting and has top and bottom, horizontal members 11 and 12 connected by vertically disposed sections 13-13. As will be understood by those skilled in this art, the railway car truck includes two. side frame members 10-10, a truck bolster 14, and

the usual two. clusters of truck springs at opposite sides of the truck, each cluster, as shown, comprising five spring units, and each spring unit being composed of an inner coil spring and an outer coil spring 16. Each cluster 2,727,472 Patented Dec. 20, 1955 of springs is supported on a follower plate 17, resting upon the lower member 12 of the side frame member 10 at the corresponding side of the truck. The opposite ends of the bolster 14 are guided between the sections 13-13 of the truck side frames and the bolster is supported by the spring clusters comprising the springs 15-16. As is well understood, the truck bolster, in turn, supports the body bolster of the railway car.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the sections 13-13 of each side frame have inwardly offset portions at their upper ends which provide vertical guide portions 18-18 at opposite sides of the bolster 14 on which the bolster is slidable, the bolster being provided with laterally spaced guide ribs 1919 and 19-19 at opposite sides of each end thereof, embracing the guide portions 1818.

My improved friction shock absorbing mechanism, as shown in the drawings, comprises broadly a pair of rocking friction shoes A-A at each end of the truck bolster, mounted at opposite sides thereof, a spring follower B within the bolster at each end thereof, engaging the rocking friction shoes AA, and bearing on the upper ends of the inner coil springs 15 of the spring units at opposite sides of the corresponding spring cluster, and swivelled friction blocks or liners C-C mounted on the guide portions 18-18 of each side frame.

In carrying out my invention, I provide each side frame member 10 of the truck with opposed pockets 20-20 at the bolster guide portions 18-18, each pocket opening inwardly toward the bolster and having a substantially vertically extending concave back wall 21, which provides a spherical bearing surface 121. The back wall 21 of the pocket is provided with a central opening 22, extending therethrough, for a purpose hereinafter pointed out.

The friction blocks or liners C-C of each side frame 10 are seated in the pockets 2%3-20 and have ball or spherically shaped bearing faces 23-23 on their rear sides engaging the spherical surfaces 121-121 of the walls 21-21 of said pockets 22-20. The front sides of the blocks or liners C-C present flat friction surfaces 24-24, adapted to cooperate with the friction shoes A-A. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the blocks C-C protrude slightly from the pockets 20-20 to prevent contact of the shoes A-A with the side frame structure adjacent said pockets as the blocks swivel in the pockets in assuming different positions of angular adjustment. Each block or liner C is provided with a central proiection or boss 25 on the rear side thereof, which extends into and through the central opening 22 of the corresponding pocket, and is utilized during the operation of assembling the mechanism, the boss 25 being provided with a threaded opening adapted to receive the threaded end of a removable bolt, not shown, of temporary clamping means for retaining the block or liner C in position during said assembling operation. This clamping means preferably includes a plate or washer, not shown, placed between the head of the bolt and the back wall 21 of the pocket 20.

The friction shoes A-A-A A are arranged in pairs at opposite ends of the bolster 14, the shoes of each pair being carried at opposite sides of the bolster. Each shoe A is of angular shape, comprising an upwardly extending, vertical, platelike section 26 and a horizontally extending, upper, platelike section or lever arm 27, projecting laterally inwardly from the upper end portion of said vertical section. At the lower end, on the inner side, the vertical section 26 of each shoe has a horizontally disposed, elongated, laterally projecting, rounded bearing portion 28, which is engaged in a rounded bearing seat 29 formed in the side wall 30 at the corresponding side of the bolster 14. Each shoe A is thus supported for pivotal or rocking movement in lateral direction. At the outer side, the section 26 of each shoe A presents a flat friction surface 31, which is in sliding engagement with the friction surface 24 of the friction block C at the corresponding side of the side frame 10. The arm 27 of each shoe A extends into the bolster, through an opening 32 in the side wall 30 above the bearing seat 29. As shown, the arms 2727 of the shoes AA at each end of the bolster extend toward each other and are recessed on their lower sides, as indicated at 33, forming seats to accommodate and center the spring follower B. 7

As disclosed in the drawings, and as hereinbefore pointed out, the cluster of springs associated with each side frame, consists of five spring units, each unit comprising inner and outer coil springs 15 and 16. The five units of each cluster are arranged with one unit at the center of the cluster and a pair of units at each side of said central unit. In carrying out my invention, the inner springs 1515 of each of said pair of units are elongated vertically so as to extend into the bolster 14, the bottom Wall of said bolster being provided with suitable openings 34-34 through which said springs extend. These springs also extend through the usual top spring plate 35 of the spring cluster, which plate is interposed between the upper ends of the outer springs 1616 of the two pairs of units and the springs 15 and 16 of the central unit, the spring plate 35 being provided with openings 3636-36--36 aligned with the openings 34-34- 3434 of the bolster to accommodate the springs 1515-15-15 of the two pairs of units which are located at the opposite sides of the central unit of the spring cluster.

The spring follower B is of rectangular outline and is of such a length as to span the distance between and overhang the springs 15--15 and 15-15 at opposite sides of the central spring unit of the spring cluster. This plate is supported on top of these springs and extends beneath the arms 2727.of the opposed shoes AA at the corresponding end of the bolster. The follower B bears directly on the arms 2727 to transmit the pressure of the springs 15151515 thereto, the arms being thus urged by the springs to swing upwardly with respect to the bolster to rock the shoes AA toward the friction blocks CC and press the same tightly against the friction surfaces of said blocks.

As will be evident, as the bolster moves downwardly to compress the spring cluster, the springs 1515-1515 will also be compressed due to the downward displacement of the arms 27-27 of the shoes AA and the follower B therewith, thereby progressively increasing the pressure exerted on the shoes and increasing the frictional resistance provided.

I claim:

1. In a railway car truck including a truck side frame having vertical bolster guides presenting friction surfaces, the combination with a bolster vertically movable between said guides; of a cluster of springs supporting said bolster on said side frame, including pairs of spring units at opposite sides of said cluster, each unit including inner and outer springs; a pair of laterally movable friction shoes within said bolster engaged with said friction surfaces of the side frame; and a member engaged with said shoes for forcing the same against said friction surfaces, said member bearing on the upper ends of the inner springs of the spring units at opposite sides of said cluster, the upper ends of said springs on which said member bears engaging only said member.

2. In a railway car truck including a truck side frame having vertical bolster guides presenting friction surfaces, the combination with a bolster vertically movable between said guides; of a cluster of springs supporting said bolster on said side frame, including a pair of spring units at opposite sides of said cluster, each of said units comprising an inner spring and an outer spring; a pair of laterally movable friction shoes within said bolster engaged with said friction surfaces of said side frame; and a member engaged with said shoes for forcing the same against said friction surfaces, said member bearing on the upper ends of the inner springs of said spring units which are at the opposite sides of the mechanism, the upper ends of said springs on which said member bears engaging only said member. 7

3. In a railway car truck including a truck side frame having vertical bolster guides presenting friction surfaces, the combination with a bolster vertically movable between said guides; of a cluster of springs supporting said bolster on said side frame, including a pair of spring units at opposite sides of each cluster, each of said units including an inner spring and an outer spring, said outer springs bearing on the underneath side of said bolster, said inner springs projecting above said outer springs and extending into said bolster; a pair of laterally movable friction shoes within said bolster engaged with said friction surfaces of said side frame; and a member engaged with said shoes for forcing the same against said friction surfaces, said member bearing on the upper ends of said inner springs, the upper ends of said inner springs on which said member bears engaging only said member.

4. In a railway car truck including a truck side frame having vertical bolster guides presenting friction surfaces, the combination with a bolster vertically movable between said guides; of a cluster of springs supporting said bolster on said side frame, said cluster including a central spring unit and additional spring units arranged at opposite sides of said central unit, each of said units including an inner spring and an outer spring; a pair of laterally movable friction shoes within said bolster engaged with said friction surfaces; and a member engaged with said shoes for forcing the same against said friction surfaces, said member bearing on the upper ends of the inner springs of said spring units which are at opposite sides of said cluster, the upper ends of said inner springs on which said member bears engaging only said member.

5. In a railway car truck including a truck side frame having vertical bolster guides presenting friction surfaces, the combination with a bolster vertically movable between said guides; of a cluster of springs supporting said bolster on said side frame including pairs of spring units at opposite sides of said cluster, each of said units including inner and outer coil springs, said outer springs bearing on the underneath side of said bolster, said inner springs projecting above said outer springs and extending into the bolster; a pair of laterally outwardly rockable friction shoes supported on said bolster and engaged with the friction surfaces of said side frame; and a member engaging said shoes to rock the same outwardly toward said friction surfaces, said member bearing on the upper ends of said inner springs, the upper ends of said inner coil springs on which said member bears engaging only said member.

6. In a railway car truck including a truck side frame having vertical bolster guides presenting friction surfaces, the combination with a bolster vertically movable between said guides; of a cluster of springs supporting said bolster on said side frame including pairs of spring units at opposite sides of said cluster, each of said units including inner and outer coil springs, said outer springs bearing on the underneath side of said bolster, said inner springs projecting above said outer springs and extending into the bolster; a pair of laterally outwardly rockable friction shoes supported on said bolster and engaged with the friction surfaces of said side frame, said shoes having laterally inwardly extending lever arms at their upper ends; and a follower member engaging said arms of said shoes to rock the same outwardly toward said friction surfaces, said follower member bearing on the upper ends of said inner springs, the upper ends of said inner springs on which said member bears engaging only said member.

7. In a railway car truck including a truck side frame having vertical bolster guides presenting friction surfaces, the combination with a bolster vertically movable between said guides; of a pair of rocking friction shoes at opposite sides. of said bolster, each shoe having a friction surface on its outer side engaging the corresponding friction surface of said side frame; lever arms on said shoes extending laterally inwardly toward each other; a follower engaged beneath said lever arms; and springs within said bolster bearing on said follower to force the same upwardly against said lever arms.

8. In a railway car truck including a truck side frame having vertical bolster guides presenting friction surfaces, the combination with a bolster vertically movable be tween said guides; of a pair of rocking friction shoes at opposite sides or" said bolster, each shoe comprising a vertical section pivoted at its lower end on said bolster, and a horizontal lever arm section extending from said vertical section toward said other shoe, said vertical section having a friction surface thereon engaged with the corresponding friction surface of the side frame; a follower engaged beneath said arms; and springs within said bolster engaging said follower to urge the same upwardly against said arms.

9. In a railway car truck including a truck side frame having vertical bolster guides thereon, the combination with friction blocks swivelled on said guides; of a bolster vertically movable between said guides; a cluster of springs supporting said bolster on said frame, said cluster including pairs of spring units at opposite sides of said cluster, each of said units including inner and outer coil springs, said outer coil springs bearing on the underneath side of the bolster, said inner coil springs projecting above said outer coil springs and extending into the bolster; a pair of laterally outwardly rockable friction shoes supported on said bolster and engaged with the friction blocks of said side frame; and a member engaging said shoes to rock the same outwardly toward said friction blocks, said member bearing on the upper ends of said inner springs, the upper ends of said inner springs on which said member bears engaging only said member.

10. In a railway car truck including a truck side frame having vertical bolster guides thereon, the combination with friction blocks swivelled on said guides; of a bolster vertically movable between said guides; a cluster of springs supporting said bolster on said side frame, said cluster including pairs of spring units at opposite sides thereof, each of said units including inner and outer coil springs, said outer coil springs bearing on the underneath side of the bolster, said inner coil springs projecting above said outer coil springs and extending into the bolster; a pair of laterally outwardly rockable friction shoes supported on the bolster and engaged with the friction blocks of said side frame, said shoes having laterally inwardly extending lever arms at their upper ends; and a follower member engaging the arms of said shoes to rock the latter outwardly toward said friction blocks, said follower member bearing on the upper ends of said inner springs.

11. In a railway car truck, including a truck side frame having vertical bolster guides thereon, the combination with friction blocks swivelled on said guides; of a bolster vertically movable between said guides; a pair of rocking friction shoes at opposite sides of said bolster, each shoe having a friction surface on its outer side engaging the corresponding friction block, said shoes having lever arms extending laterally inwardly toward each other; a follower engaged beneath and bearing on said lever arms; and springs within said bolster engaging said follower to press the same upwardly toward said arms to rock said shoes outwardly against said friction blocks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,091,854 Hobson Aug. 31, 1937 2,379,521 Haseltine July 3, 1945 2,386,384 Dath Oct. 9, 1945 2,396,796 Lounsbury Mar. 19, 1946 2,407,875 Geiger Sept. 17, 1946 2,497,460 Lcese Feb. 14, 1950 2,550,910 Christenson May 1, 1951 2,570,159 Schlegel Oct. 2, 1951 2,574,348 Orr et a1 Nov. 6, 1951 2,583,144 Hamilton Jan. 22, 1952 

